Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-09
ANCIENT Anglers.
wHAT IS TO BE FOUND OF INTER EST
IN rHR CITY.
Its Chatssus and Churches, Inhabitants
and Laws-Intsresting
Architecture.

A correspondent OF the San Fran
cisco Chronicle, writing from Anglers,
France, says: Anglers is historic.
There is little in the region that is not
historic, except the improvements rem
dered necessary by the growth OF the
city and the expansion OF the local in
dustries. And as its history is q part
of our own, why not turn the page
and read il? AS L have said,
Elesnore, after having been divorced
from her husband, King Louis VII,
transferred Anjou, which she had in
herited, to Henry. The province was
then but little larger than the Depart
ment OF Maine ct Loire at present, but
it was the fairest. and, as regards eli
mate, one of the most agreeable in
France. Henry's three sons rebelled
against him. Their mother sympa-
tbized with them, perhaps on ac-
count OF the intrigue OF her husband
with the fair Rosamond. Philip
Augustine united his forces with
theirs, and Henry, having been
defeated, was compelled to sign
a disgraceful treaty. When he
died shortly afterward he was buried at
Fontevrault, and Richard became king
Then Richard went to Palestine and
John began his intrigues. His reign
after his return was brief. He was
killed in besieging one Of his revolted
castles in the north. His heart was
buried at Rouen and his body inferred
in the cemeteryof kings at Fontevrault.
The crown naturally devolved on his
nephew Arthur, but John determined
TO take it for himself. There rallied
about the boy an army led by the no.
blos of AnjOu, which was defeated by
John. Arthur was taken prisoner.
Then followed drama highly charac-
teristic of this bloody period, which
legend has somewhat confused. John
is said to have directed the keeper OF
the prison in which his nephew WAS
confined TO burn ont his eyes with hot
irons then to have endeavored to make
the boy abdicate in his favor. Failing,
he stabbed him with dagger with his
own hand. All France rose in horror
at this iniquity. Philip took hand in
the quarrel, and after defeating John
III battle convOked meeting Of the no.
bility of the region and confscated An
jou, distributing the principal towns
and castles among his own subjects.
During a portion of this time John
made Anglers his capital, and probably
had his residence at the abbey OF st.
Aubin, of which only lofty tower re-
mains, now, believe, used as a shot
tower. 1t seems a vile Dissertation to
an American, who venerates old monu-
mentS because he has none at home,
but it is not quite so bad as the CONVEX
sion Of the
ABBFY OF FOETEvRAULT,
one of the most remarkable, one of the
most singularly beautiful monuments
of France, into State prison. John
died at last and was buried, but not at
Fontevrault, where are seen side by
side the four statues that adorned sew
oIally the tombs of his father Henry,
his mother Eleanore, his brother Rich
srd and his first wife, Isabella AngOu
leme. He was one of those kings whom
oil the good people of his age detested,
and whose deeds history has never
been able to extenuate. Anjou became
q part of France, which did not pre-
vent the kings of England from in
GLIDING its name among their royal
tiles for nearly q hundred years after
ward, 1t was part of England for
over fifty years.
Anglers is 3 curious blending OF an
,ient, medieval, and new. The Druids |
erected their dolmens in the adjacent |
orests, where they are still seen. The |
Romans came half q century before
Christ and remained 400 years. They |
quilt cities, which they ornamental |
With arenas, baths, theatres, and palaces,
fragments of which still remain. AZ |
erward Ni.igoths, Francs, and Nor
mans appearedsuccessively on the scene
nd passed away, and so on through the
lark ages, the middle ages, emperors, |
.inqs, dukes, mobiles of all degrees,
ya9ing bloody wars, DISCRIMINATING the
over classes and one another until the
leriod Of the Plsntagensts.
After the crusades came the reform
rS, and all the region was fought over by
he forces that waged the religious wars,
My ended by the accession of Henry
V. Then ensued few years Of pence.
Then the fanatical advisers Of Henry
XIV. caused the revocation OF the edict
f Nantes, and the region was almost
by the emigration Of the
'rotestants, and not so long afterward
hat old men could not remem-
,er it The whole Of the re-
ion south of the Loire, com
rising a part of what is now three de-
was laid waste by the war
{ the Nendee, the most sanguinary
pisode of the French revolution. Life
iss hardly worth living during these
disagreeable epochs, but
here were no Molochs to discuss the
uestioD. Neither do there seem to
ave been any writers of the Nautilus
ersuasion, though had thsre been they
-ould have had every reason to be
heerful at the rather tough way in
'hich population was prevented from
ecOmiDg excessive.
Sauntering about Anglers on plea
mt August afternoon, one fuds much
, interest. The old parts OF the city
reserve their primitive customs, and
resent the old costumes of the people
here is the usual variety of white
APPS, the people retaining the fashions
( the communes or villages whence
ley come. Fruits are in sufficient
uantity, and at reasonable prices,
hich they never are at Paris. The
tile red and white wines Of the cOun-
y srs retailed at from two to four sous
glass. There are little restaurants
hich are cheap and comfortable. /
EVERYBODY IS NEATLY DRESSED,
nd the demeanor Of every one is
iodest. quiet, self-contained If you
urchase anything, the price is not
Augmented because you are stranger,
ld, what is unprecedented in other
arts OF France, if, in making change,
on leave one or two extra sous, they
re taken with little protest.
The people of ancient Aniou and
PIPER and Lower Portore, the latter
icluding what is now the department
Vendee, are unlike those of any
Their part of France, why it would be
ard to say. 1t can hardly be said il is